The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA) is a 1,090,000-acre (4,400 km2) wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in a northeastern part of Minnesota. A mixture of forests, glacial lakes, and streams, the BWCAW's preservation as a primitive wilderness began in the 1900s and culminated in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act of 1978. While a destination for canoeing, hiking, and fishing, it has also been a focus and debate for its resources in both the forest and mining industries.
Notable Minnesota figures tied to the BWCAW area include conservationist Sigurd Olson, resident Dorothy Molter ("Rootbeer Lady"), and outdoorswoman Justine Kerfoot.
January 14, 1982 - MPR’s Lee Axdahl reports on the passing of Sigurd Olson, well-known environmentalist and author. Segment includes a brief summary of Olson’s life, a reading by former Elmer Anderson, and interview segments with Olson about his experiences along the Boundary Waters.
January 14, 1982 - Noted environmentalist and author Sigurd Olson passed away on January 13, 1982 in Ely, Minnesota. This news feature honors his passing by airing his own words.
June 14, 1983 - MPR’s Jim Ragsdale reports on concerns and anger of Ely outfitters, as the gradual restrictions of motorized vehicle use to Boundary Waters lakes take effect, following the 1978 BWCA Wilderness Act.
December 21, 1985 - MPR’s Mark Heistad interviews outfitter Bill Hansen, whos resides at Sawbill Trail on the southern edge of the Boundary Waters. Hansen talks about life in the Northwoods during winter.
October 14, 1986 - MPR’s Mark Heistad visits the Boundary Water’s Knife Lake to talk with local resident Dorothy Molter, also known as the “Root Beer Lady.” Molter reflects on her 56 years living in the Northwoods.
October 15, 1986 - MPR’s Mark Heistad presents "The Land Between: An Aural Portrait of the BWCA," a documentary about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the people who live there.
October 29, 1990 - On this Mainstreet Radio program, MPR’s Leif Enger reports on the attempts for a truce on the border of the BWCA since the 1978 Boundary Waters Wilderness Act.
September 18, 1991 - MPR’s Catherine Winter interviews environmentalist Kevin Proescholdt about the physical and experiencial impact of the increase in campers traversing into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
November 25, 1991 - MPR’s Mark Heistad interviews author David Backes about his book “Canoe Country: An Embattled Wilderness.” The two talk about the history of the Boundary Waters and the ongoing debate about the use and protections of land and water in area.
July 3, 1992 - Barton Sutter reads his essay “Boundary Waters Canoe Park.” Sutter recalls the travails to get into Boundary Waters being far more trecherous than the wild.